Didn't Impress

Sail Date:
October 2013

Destination:
Europe - River Cruise

Embarkation:
Budapest

First river cruise with APT. The cruise embarkation was well handled from the hotel to ship. Welcome and cabin allocation all ok. First night cruising the Danube just wonderful, however that was the best part overall. Unfortunately the vessel had an outbreak of gastro which wasn't surprising as we did notice that hygiene e.g. mandatory sanitizing of hands wasn't enforced. One guest was actually transferred mid river to hospital so not a great impression. The dining area can be very crowded at all sittings and breakfast can see ques at toasters and serveries. Waiter service was good but the menu, although brandishing fancy names, just didn't measure up in comparison to other 'luxury' cruise dining. Actually it was pretty bland. The scenery is lovely on the trip but the little town ports can be the usual tourist traps and if you've seen one old church.. you know the rest! However Wien was very good as was Neurenburg with excellent guides.= and the concert very nice. However, at other More
places one was left to wander around towns for ages waiting for buses and sometimes in the dark.

You also go through 60 or more locks so it can be somewhat stop and start. The entertainment was one chap playing the same songs every night with his European accent. One or two nights would have been OK but over 14 it gets to be boring. Also the visiting entertainers were only on for very short periods between locks and all were intent on flogging their CDs.

Look some guests loved it but we're Aussies and we don't necessarily want to be on an international cruise consisting of 95% other Aussies so that may have tainted us from the start so beware if that is of concern to you as well.

The cruise director and staff tried hard and were pleasant. The drinks variety were good. We got a 2 for one deal but had we paid full fare I honestly would have felt short-changed.. Less